"The angel said to the women, 'Do
not be afraid, for I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
He is not here, for he has risen, just as
he said. Come, see the place where he lay'
(Matthew 28:5-6).
Easter has come and gone once again. I
hope you had a great Lenten and Easter season. If you are like many, you marked
the day by attending a wonderful Easter service, with family pictures in front
of the Cross and then on to a festive celebration and a large supper full of
family, friends, and way too much food. One of my favorite foods, ironically,
is deviled eggs.
You no doubt (I hope) heard a sermon about
the Resurrection and sang many songs about our risen Lord. Easter is indeed a
day of celebration, of victory! Our team won! Jesus defeated sin and death- for
us.
It is proper to celebrate on Sunday after
marking the solemn night of Good Friday, the betrayal before, the torture and
the crucifixion. My wife and I visited a local Methodist church who has a room
dedicated to the "stations of the Cross." It is a very somber and
reflective experience. You leave in tears. You wonder (marvel) that God would
send his only son to do this for us. Then we celebrate with gladness and thanks
on Sunday.
Then what? What happens on Monday and the
days after? The United Kingdom offers the Monday after as a national holiday.
Given what I have seen of the UK of late I doubt it's because they went to
church too much on Sunday.
Statistically, here in America, the
Sunday after Easter is the least- attended service of the year in most
churches!
Did we exhaust ourselves for one day? Do
we mark the crucifixion and resurrection every day in our lives or just when it
fits into our schedule? Do we thank God frequently or just at Christmas and/ or
Easter?
One pastor noted that "the
resurrection of Jesus Christ is more than an event to be celebrated, it's a
power to be experienced daily" (Hodges). Another gave seven reasons why
the resurrection is important to us.
The number one reason is that the
resurrection is the basis of our spirituality, christianity. Without it, there
would be no defeat of death. Other reasons include that the resurrection is the
cure for our fear of death. The grave is not the end for believers!
Additionally, the resurrection helps
us suffer in a world of emptiness and
deception. Look around and see the world where the devil runs wild. But we win
in the end! The devil loses and is thrown into the lake of fire.
God sending his son, Jesus Christ means
the veil has been torn and we will be with our loved ones one day in the New
Jerusalem.
So don't mark the importance of the
resurrection in your lives one day of the year. Do it every day! Go to the Lord
in prayer with thanksgiving and praise!
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